Providing consistently strong service is a key differentiator that can build resident as well as brand loyalty.
A resident at Optima Kierland Apartments, a community designed, developed and managed by Optima Inc., left behind a $15,000 diamond necklace when she headed east for her wedding. Ben James, an assistant property manager at the community, was able to retrieve the necklace and get it to the resident safely and securely in time for her wedding.
Ben James is usually the first staff member to arrive at Optima Kierland Apartments in Scottsdale, Ariz., getting there at 8 a.m. most mornings. As assistant property manager of the community, his daily responsibilities include meeting with the maintenance manager for an update, walking the property to ensure amenities are open and in tiptop shape, greeting residents and providing assistance to anyone who comes into the office.
But one day in January 2025, James was faced with a resident request he hadn’t experienced before—something beyond the scope of his routine responsibilities at the apartment community. A resident was getting married and had left behind a $15,000 diamond necklace – a family heirloom that she planned to wear for her wedding on the East Coast.
“Frantic was an understatement,” said James. “This was on a Thursday, and the wedding was Saturday. We got permission to go into the apartment, and the resident let me know exactly where it was in the bedroom.” He then took it to the post office and mailed it out via the safest and most efficient method. It arrived on time, and the resident was overjoyed.
But James is not alone in his dedication to providing extraordinary customer service. Today, more than ever, service is essential to attracting and retaining residents. After all, with so much apartment inventory available, and more in the pipeline, renters have more options than ever. So how a resident or prospective resident is treated from the point of first contact can make the difference between their ultimately executing a lease or renewal—or not.
“During Covid, people realized that it’s not as much about the fancy gym or the other amenities,” said Taylor Blades, a senior marketing manager for Yardi Systems. “It’s about how connected they feel to their community, and that connection comes from the level of service they get from the on-site team.”
Above-and-beyond service is a win-win
Many apartment operators pay renewal bonuses to their on-site staff, and if an act of kindness makes a resident more likely to renew, that benefits the staff member and the landlord. Others recognize the employee. James, for example, said he was named “Employee of the Quarter” due to his customer service skills.
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